Alongside a wide range of artistic programs, the festival will feature activities spanning cinema, fashion, cuisine, technology, and heritage-based creativity.
Cultures from around the world come together
Under the theme “Heritage Convergence—Shaping the Future,” the second World Culture Festival is being held to mark the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s accession to UNESCO (1976–2026).
Events will take place at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel and several other venues across Hanoi, featuring performing arts, cinema, fashion, cuisine, and technology-based programs.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Ta Quang Dong emphasized that the festival aims to showcase Vietnam's diverse cultural identities and those of other countries while providing a platform for cultural dialogue where nations can share distinctive values and find common ground amid diversity. Each culture contributes its own color to the broader picture, creating the festival’s rich and vibrant character.
This spirit will be reflected first and foremost in the opening ceremony on the evening of October 1 at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Young Vietnamese singers such as Duc Phuc, Hoa Minzy, Truc Nhan, and Hoang Bach, along with numerous Vietnamese artists, performing groups, and traditional art troupes, will share the stage with artistic delegations from Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Israel, South Korea, Laos, Pakistan, and Peru, among others.
At the closing ceremony on October 4, Huong Tram, Anh Tu, singer Kieu Anh, the UPRIZE band, and other Vietnamese artists will perform alongside international art troupes from Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, India, Iran, Mexico, Myanmar, the Philippines, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition to the two main programs, this year’s festival will feature 45 cultural spaces and 35 food stalls. The film program has attracted registrations from 18 countries, while 19 countries have submitted traditional costumes for the fashion showcase. Twenty international art troupes will also participate in the festival.
The organizers have expanded the festival into multiple spaces where the public can watch films, enjoy performances, explore traditional costumes, and sample international cuisine. Activities will be held at various venues across Hanoi, including familiar public spaces frequented by residents and visitors.
Heritage brought to life through technology
A new feature of this year’s festival is the “Spreading Creativity from Cultural Heritage – International Festival Games" zone, where technology products inspired by Vietnam’s history and culture will be introduced to the public. The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, in coordination with Vietnamese businesses, will introduce, publish, and operate video games in this field.
Activities such as cosplay competitions, in which participants dress as game characters, and game-inspired dance performances will also be included in the program. The approach is designed to engage younger audiences by bringing historical and cultural materials into forms of entertainment familiar to them.
Alongside the International Festival Games, the festival will feature a parade and traditional costume showcase from participating countries along the pedestrian streets around Hoan Kiem Lake. At the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism, visitors can watch performances, explore traditional costumes, sample cuisine, and discover cultural stories from different countries.
The festival’s activities have demonstrated how technology and the creative industries can provide new ways of telling heritage stories. Historical and cultural materials can be transformed into products and experiences that are suited to today’s audiences,” said Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Director of the Department of International Cooperation.
The second World Culture Festival is expected to create more spaces for Hanoi to engage with cultures from around the world, from traditional values to innovative forms of expression. This will give cultural stories greater opportunities to reach the public and strengthen connections between Vietnam and its international friends.
The second World Culture Festival will also host the launch of the initiative for the “International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development” for 2027–2036. The initiative, proposed by Vietnam, was adopted by the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. It marks an important step in efforts to promote culture as an essential driver of sustainable development worldwide.
